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The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois: A Soliloquy on Viewing My Life from the Last Decade of Its First Century
A Soliloquy on Viewing My Life from the Last Decade of Its First Century. A reflective, moving account in which, with grace and clarity, Dr. Du Bois revised and incorporated his earlier works and added new sections.
Paperback
,
448 pages
Published
December 1st 1968
by International Publishers
(first published 1968)
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I hadn't known how DuBois was blacklisted for his work in the peace movement, specifically for his making explicit the connections between war, the growth of industry, and colonialism. In the early 1950's he was banned as a speaker on college campuses, suffered a press black out in the Black and mainstream media, and observed by government agents.
This book charts the development of his international perspective that grows from a driving concern about the "color line" to incorporate Marxism and ...more
This book charts the development of his international perspective that grows from a driving concern about the "color line" to incorporate Marxism and ...more
W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the greatest geniuses this nation has ever produced. Among scholars, and historians he has no real competition and his writing is some of the most beautiful I've ever read. All around he was an amazing man, and this autobiography does him justice. Outside of that it's history lived not just recited. This is literally an epic.
Not Du Bois' best work, but then when I'm 93 I hope I can write just as well. Du Bois the historian is competing with Du Bois the literary figure. Too much of it is taken (paragraph by paragraph) straight from documents and speeches. When he moves away from that, some of the passages really shine though.
This book is written with the same poetic style as most of his other work, and you
will definately benefit by reading the almost century long journey of one of the greatest thinkers and writers the world has ever seen.
it was good to read again his thoughts and perceptions as history unfolded before his eyes.
will definately benefit by reading the almost century long journey of one of the greatest thinkers and writers the world has ever seen.
it was good to read again his thoughts and perceptions as history unfolded before his eyes.
if only I didnt put this book on the top of my car before I drove away from our campsite... This was Du Bois's last autobiography and it was really interesting to see his political evolution into a communist. He makes his declaration as a communist at the age of (i think) 90. damn.
Not just good writing but clear history and social comment. This is another of those books I feel an American should read as a part of basic education.
May 10, 2013
Alexandra
added it
When I get the book I will let you all know how it was . Until then wait until i fuckin read it . Have a nice day!
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In 1868, W.E.B. Du Bois (né William Edward Burghardt Du Bois) was born in Massachusetts. He attended Fisk College in Nashville, then earned his BA in 1890 and his MS in 1891 from Harvard. Du Bois studied at the University of Berlin, then earned his doctorate in history from Harvard in 1894. He taught economics and history at Atlanta University from 1897-1910. The Souls of Black Folk (1903) made hi
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More about W.E.B. Du Bois...
“My 'morals' were sound, even a bit puritanic, but when a hidebound old deacon inveighed against dancing I rebelled. By the time of graduation I was still a 'believer' in orthodox religion, but had strong questions which were encouraged at Harvard. In Germany I became a freethinker and when I came to teach at an orthodox Methodist Negro school I was soon regarded with suspicion, especially when I refused to lead the students in public prayer. When I became head of a department at Atlanta, the engagement was held up because again I balked at leading in prayer. I refused to teach Sunday school. When Archdeacon Henry Phillips, my last rector, died, I flatly refused again to join any church or sign any church creed. From my 30th year on I have increasingly regarded the church as an institution which defended such evils as slavery, color caste, exploitation of labor and war.
I think the greatest gift of the Soviet Union to modern civilization was the dethronement of the clergy and the refusal to let religion be taught in the public schools
.”
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139 likes
“Perhaps the most extraordinary characteristic of current America is the attempt to reduce life to buying and selling. Life is not love unless love is sex and bought and sold. Life is not knowledge save knowledge of technique, of science for destruction. Life is not beauty except beauty for sale. Life is not art unless its price is high and it is sold for profit. All life is production for profit, and for what is profit but for buying and selling again?”
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35 likes
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